Mutare – A wave of anger and disbelief has swept through the Nyanga community as details emerge of the repeated sexual abuse of an eight-year-old girl by four individuals, including three adult men and a teenager.
The case, which unfolded over several months, has left residents reeling and demanding justice for the young victim. The accused, including Justice Nyakuchena (29), faced Mrs Phethukile Msipa at the Mutare Regional Court, which was sitting on circuit in Nyanga, where the harrowing details of the crime were laid bare.
The court heard how the young girl, a Grade Three pupil at a local Nyanga school, was subjected to a series of horrific acts while simply walking home from school. The abuse began in April 2024, when one of the perpetrators, Webster Bhurangeti (19), lured the girl with a pornographic video clip on his cellphone.
Prosecutor Mr Last Goredema, in presenting the state’s case, outlined the calculated and predatory nature of the crimes committed against the vulnerable child. The court was told that Bhurangeti approached the minor while she was in the garden and began playing pornographic videos to her. He then asked her if she was able to act in the same way, but she told him that she was still too young to indulge in such practices.
Undeterred, Bhurangeti forcibly grabbed the minor’s hand, led her to a secluded bush near the garden, and raped her once. From that day forward, Bhurangeti continued to rape the complainant on several occasions as she walked home from school.
The court also heard how Justice Nyakuchena, another of the accused, used threats and coercion to force the young girl into submitting to his sexual demands. Mr Goredema explained that sometime in April 2024, Nyakuchena approached the complainant, who was in the garden, and asked her to get intimate with him. When she refused, Nyakuchena threatened to reveal to her father that she had slept with Webster Bhurangeti sometime back.
Nyakuchena then forcibly grabbed the complainant’s hand, dragged her out of the garden to a secluded bush, and raped her once. From that day, Nyakuchena continued to rape the complainant several times on different unknown occasions while on her way from school.
The abuse remained hidden until November 3, 2024, when the complainant’s father noticed that she was consistently returning late from school. Suspicious, he questioned his daughter, who bravely revealed the horrific truth – that Nyakuchena had raped her on several occasions, and that Bhurangeti, along with Wilfred Bhurangeti and a 16-year-old teenager, had also raped her on different occasions.
The matter was immediately reported to the police in Nyamaropa, who swiftly responded and arrested Nyakuchena. The victim was taken to Nyanga District Hospital for a medical examination, and the resulting medical report was presented as evidence in court.
The court was presented with the grim reality of the child’s ordeal, a reality that prompted swift action from Mrs Msipa. Justice Nyakuchena was sentenced to 17 years in jail for the offence. Webster Bhurangeti also appeared before Mrs Msipa facing similar rape charges.
Following the presentation of evidence, Mrs Msipa sentenced the two brothers, Wilfred and Webster Bhurangeti, to 20 years in jail each for the offences, suspending five years on the usual conditions. The teenager rapist was sentenced to five years in jail, which was wholly suspended.
The sentences handed down by the court have been met with a mixture of relief and anger within the Nyanga community. While some residents have expressed satisfaction that the perpetrators have been brought to justice, others feel that the sentences are not harsh enough, given the severity of the crimes committed against the young girl.
This case has once again brought the issue of child sexual abuse into sharp focus, highlighting the vulnerability of children and the need for greater protection and vigilance within communities. It also serves as a stark reminder of the devastating impact that sexual abuse can have on victims, both in the short term and the long term.
The case has prompted calls for increased awareness campaigns and educational programmes aimed at preventing child sexual abuse and empowering children to speak out if they are being abused. It has also highlighted the importance of creating a safe and supportive environment for victims of sexual abuse, ensuring that they have access to the resources and support they need to heal and recover.
As the Nyanga community continues to grapple with the aftermath of this horrific case, there is a renewed determination to protect children and ensure that perpetrators of sexual abuse are brought to justice. The memory of this young girl’s ordeal will serve as a constant reminder of the need to remain vigilant and to work together to create a safer and more just society for all children.
